House passes Speaker Shekarchi’s SAVE Unit legislation for emergency housing options
STATE HOUSE – The House of Representatives today passed legislation sponsored by Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi to enable cities and towns to allow for temporary emergency housing structures for people experiencing homelessness during severe weather and/or natural or man-made disasters.
The legislation (2025-H 5100A) would enable municipalities to make an emergency declaration, under limited circumstances and if they choose to do so, to allow for the construction and use of Supportive and Versatile Emergency units (“SAVE Units”) on a temporary basis. As outlined in the legislation, SAVE Units have specialized requirements and exemptions from state fire and building codes; the legislation allows municipalities to provide for such housing in their zoning ordinance or by declaring an emergency, which can be in place for up to 180 days.
“Rhode Island is experiencing record numbers of unhoused individuals. In an emergency situation – such as dangerously low outdoor temperatures, widespread flooding similar to what my hometown of Warwick experienced in 2010, or catastrophic wildfires like the state of California is seeing now – time is of the essence. This legislation is designed to get people off the streets and into safe shelter,” said Speaker Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick). “We know that Rhode Island needs to do more to provide permanent housing for the people who need it. While we explore long-term solutions, this act would create specialized provisions to allow SAVE Units to be permitted and constructed quickly to address urgent needs.”
State building codes were not structured with units like SAVE Units in mind; instead, the current interpretation places them in the same category as hotels, requiring significant waivers and requirements (such as sprinklers). This legislation requires that SAVE Units must meet the specialized requirements of state building code, but they are exempt from other provisions so long as the state fire marshal and/or state building official confirm that the unit complies with the specialized provisions.
Specialized provisions of building code outlined in the legislation require that SAVE Units be equipped with climate controls, fire and carbon monoxide detectors, a locking door, an egress window, and fire extinguisher(s), and that they are built in accordance with other specific requirements of state electrical, plumbing and other codes, if applicable.
An amendment to the legislation incorporates additional technical and safety language suggested by the Rhode Island State Fire Marshal and the Director of Inspection and Standards for the city of Providence.
This act would also include a provision for reports to be provided to the Governor, the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate regarding the nature of the emergency and the number of individuals served by SAVE Units. Reports would be provided by the municipality’s chief executive officer (mayor, town administrator) during the emergency, describing actions taken and the number of people served; the municipal council would have to vote every 30 days to renew the emergency.
Since becoming Speaker in 2021, Shekarchi has made addressing Rhode Island’s housing crisis his top legislative priority. He has sponsored nearly 50 new housing laws, all designed to streamline the building and permitting process to encourage more development.
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